Actuating element comprising a locking element for inserting and removing flat modules by leverage in a least three connection positions, front element for a flat module, comprising an actuating element and a subassembly support for receiving flat modules

ABSTRACT

An actuating element for inserting and removing a flat module by leverage, the element having an end piece designed to be connected to a flat module. An actuating lever, which is pivotally mounted on the end piece, has at least one grip section and a locking element, which can be displaced, particularly slid between two connection positions. In a first connection position, the actuating lever retains the flat module in its inserted state and in a second connection position, the actuating lever is released to remove the module by leverage. The actuating element has a connecting element, which is activated in the first connection position of the locking element, which can be displaced into a third connection position, in which the actuating lever is retained in the first position, corresponding to the inserted state of the flat module and in which the connecting element is disconnected.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an actuating element for inserting andremoving flat modules with locking elements by leverage into at leastthree switched positions. This invention also relates to a front systemfor a flat module having at least one such actuating element, anassociated flat module, as well as a component support for receivingsuch flat modules with a front system, which can be inserted and removedby leverage.

2. Discussion of Related Art

An actuating element for inserting and removing flat modules with an endelement by leverage is known as the prior art from German Utility Model299 22 725.1, which can be connected with a flat module and which has anactuating lever, which is rotatably seated at the end element.

The actuating element has a locking element which allows the removal ofthe actuating element by leverage in one switched position, and preventsthis in another switched position. A defined actuation or relief of apositioning element integrated into an end element of such an actuatingelement does not occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of this invention is to provide an actuating element forinserting and removing a flat module by leverage, which allows a definedactuation or relief of an integrated positioning element. This inventionalso provides an associated front system for such a flat module, a flatmodule with such a front system, as well as a component support forreceiving such flat modules, which can be inserted and removed byleverage.

For the actuating element, this object is achieved with thecharacteristics of embodiments of the actuating element described inthis specification and in the claims. This invention includes a frontsystem, a flat module, and a component support.

A third switched position of the locking element is provided for theactuating element of this invention, in which the actuating lever of theactuating element continues to be maintained in a first position, whichcorresponds to a levered-in state of the flat module, wherein a reliefof an integrated positioning element occurs. Thus, a total of at leastthree switching positions A, B and C are provided for the actuatingelement of this invention, by which a relief of an integratedpositioning element occurs without a simultaneous release of the lockingof the actuating lever. In this way an actuation, such as a firstswitching position and a relief, such as a second switching position, ofthe integrated positioning element can be performed by adjusting, inparticular by the displacement, of the locking element into twoswitching positions A and C, without a release of the locking of theactuating lever occurring as in the switching position B.

While levering the actuating lever out, initially the actuation of thepositioning element is canceled when the locking element is displacedfrom a first switching position A, actuation of the positioning elementand locking of the actuating lever, into a center switching position Cin particular, wherein the locking of the actuating lever continues.Only when the locking element is displaced into a switching position B,the locking of the actuating lever is canceled and the releasedactuating lever can be rotated for levering-out the flat module.

For structurally realizing the described separate and successive actionof locking, or releasing the actuating lever and actuating or relievingthe positioning element, the locking element has a switching slide foractuating a switching lever of the switching element, as well as lockingmembers, in particular a sliding edge which slides along a correspondingsliding detent of the actuating element and either contacts it, in whichcase the actuating lever remains locked, or releases it, where theactuating lever is also released and can be rotated in preparation forremoving the flat module by leverage.

A front plate with at least one actuating element, in accordance withthis invention, is provided for the front system of this invention.Furthermore, a flat module has a front system with an actuating elementin accordance with this invention. Finally, this invention includes acomponent support, into which flat modules with a front system inaccordance with this invention can be inserted and from which they canbe removed by leverage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention is explained in greater detail in view of exemplaryembodiments in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective lateral view of a basic embodiment of anactuating element in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a lateral view of a front system for a flat module having anactuating element in accordance with the prior art shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a lateral partial sectional view of an actuating element inaccordance with this invention, with a locking element in switchedposition A;

FIG. 4 is a lateral partial sectional view of an actuating element inaccordance with this invention as shown in FIG. 3 with a locking elementin switched position C; and

FIG. 5 is a lateral partial sectional view of an actuating element inaccordance with this invention as shown in FIG. 3, with a lockingelement in switched position B.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An actuating element in accordance with the prior art, for inserting andremoving a flat module 2 by leverage, having an end element 1 forconnection with the flat module 2 and a front plate, is shown in FIG. 1and FIG. 2.

Here, the actuating element rests on a lower transverse rail 10 of acomponent support and has as its main components an actuating lever 4,an end element 1 and a front plate 3, not shown in FIG. 1 for reasons ofclarity. In this case the end element 1 has a central retainingfunction, because it is used as a support for the actuating lever 4,which is rotatably seated in particular in a bore 14. The end element 1can also be used for retaining the lower end of the front plate 3, whichfor this purpose is advantageously pushed into a groove 22.

The connection between the lower end element 1 and the front, lower edgeof the flat module 2, as shown in FIG. 2, is preferably made via aretaining block 17 by a screw engaging a bore 34.

Finally, other components can also be attached to such an end element 1.The end element I represented in FIG. 1 contains a coding block 13, inwhich coding chambers 27 for the insertion of coding pins, not shown,are cut. These can engage coding chambers attached oppositely at thelower transverse rail 10, which have complementarily coded coding pins.It is thus possible that only one definitely selected flat module 2 canbe positioned in a plug position of a component support. Finally thereis also a guide pin 15 which, following engagement in an oppositelylocated, not illustrated guide bore, assures the insertion of the flatmodule 2 in a tilt-free correct manner.

The actuating lever 4, which can be worked by operating the handleelement 5 when the actuating element 6 is moved into the switchedposition (B), is used for inserting or removing the flat modules 2 byleverage into or out of the corresponding plug position.

During levering-out it is necessary to push the actuating lever 4 down,so that at least one levering-out projection 9 protruding from theunderside can be supported on a front edge 12 of the lower transverserail 10. For reversing this, it is necessary in the course oflevering-in to push the actuating lever 4 upward, so that at least onelevering-in edge 8, also projecting from the underside, can be supportedinside at least one engagement depression 11 also located in the area ofthe front edge 12 of the lower transverse rail 10.

The end element 1 allows the actuating lever 4 to be fixed in place inthe appropriate position after reaching the state in which it iscompletely inserted into the flat module 2. Thus, the actuating lever 4advantageously has a resilient, upward extending detent protrusion 24 onits top, which is directed toward the end element 1 and extends behind adetent edge 23 on the end element 1 which is directed toward theactuation lever 4 and extends downward.

In the same manner a corresponding arrangement is attached to the cornerarea of the flat module 2, shown in FIG. 2, which has an upper endelement 3 with an actuating lever 4 rotatably seated thereon. The latterthen engages a corresponding upper transverse rail of a componentsupport, not represented, for levering-in and levering-out.

A positioning element 25 is integrated in the lower or upper end elementof the actuating element in accordance with the prior art shown in FIG.1 and FIG. 2, which is actuated by means of the actuating lever 4 whenit is in its fixed position or switched position A. Thus, it is possibleto electrically clear the flat module 2 attached to the actuating lever4, for example by activating its current supply. In the other way theflat module 2 can also be switched electrically passive because themoment the flat module 2 is levered out the action of the actuatinglever 4 on the positioning element 25 integrated into the end element 1ends, and the electrical current supply for the flat module 2 ispassivated again by the release of the positioning element 25.

The positioning element 25 is seated in a receiving slot 28 extending asfar as the area of the detent edge 23 of the end element 1. Thus aswitching element of the positioning element 25, for example a switchinglever 29, projects into the area below the downward sloping detent edge23 and, when the fixed state of the actuating lever 4, switched positionA, is reached, it is actuated by the switching slide 26 of the lockingelement 6 of the actuating lever 4 when the actuating lever 4 is inposition A. The locking element 6 is connected with the switching slide26 via a connecting element 30.

If the actuating lever 4 is displaced into the position B, as shown inFIG. 2, the switching element 29 is relieved and the positioning element25 is switched into a second switched state, whereupon a passivation ofthe flat module 2 occurs.

The levering-out of the actuating lever 4 can thereafter take placebecause its handle element 5 is moved downward, in the direction of thetransverse rail 10, so that the detent projection 24 of the actuatinglever 4 is resiliently released from the detent edge 23 of the endelement 1. The positioning element 25 can be activated or passivated bydisplacing the locking element 6 between the positions A and B in FIG.2, and this is independent of the complete release of the actuatingelement by the described downward levering-out of the actuating lever 4for removing the flat module 2 from the component support.

Further details regarding the structure of the actuating element inaccordance with the prior art in FIGS. 1 and 2, and in particularregarding the functioning of the locking element 6, ensue from GermanUtility Model Application 299 22 725.1, the content of whose disclosureis explicitly incorporated into this specification.

The integrated positioning element 25 can be advantageously electricallyconnected with the flat module 2 by a cable or cable-plug connector,which can be attached to its connecting contacts 16.

Thus it is possible to operate the positioning elements 25 alwaysdependably and wear-free by means of the actuating element if theswitching means of the positioning element 25 have only a very shortswitching path.

Since the active-passive switching function is completely integratedinto the actuating element, users of the front system are not subjectedto any restrictions regarding the positioning of components on a flatmodule equipped with such a front system. In particular, nodimensionally exact position determinations with respect to electricalconnections for the position element 25 are required.

To the extent the structure of the actuating system in accordance withthis invention, in FIGS. 3 to 5, corresponds to the structure inaccordance with the prior art in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, identical referencenumerals are employed, which have the functions represented in thedescription of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 without needing supplementaryexplanations.

FIG. 3 represents a lateral partial sectional representation of anactuating element in accordance with this invention with a lockingelement in switched position A. In this case the switching lever 29 ofthe position element 25 is actuated by a switching slide 26 of thelocking element 6, the first switched state, by which the flat module 2connected with the positioning element 25 is activated, for example.With the locking element 6 in the switched position A, a rotation of theactuating lever 4 in the direction of rotation 19 is simultaneouslyprevented, because its sliding edge 7 rests on the sliding detent 18.Thus, the actuating lever 4 is in a levered-in and locked position andthe detent projection 24 of the actuating lever 4 has been snapped underthe edge 23 of the end element 1.

In FIG. 4, the locking element 6 is in the switched position C.Therefore the switching slide 26 of the locking element 6 is also in aretracted position, so that the switching lever 29 of the positioningelement 5 is relieved, in the second switched state. Thus the flatmodule 2 is passivated, for example. At the same time the sliding edge 7of the locking element 6 continues to contact the sliding detent 18 ofthe actuating element, the same as in the switched position in FIG. 3.Thus it is still assured that the actuating lever is in a locked andlevered-in position, and the detent projection 24 continues to besnapped in underneath the edge 23 of the end element 1.

FIG. 5 shows the locking element 6 in a switched position B, namely in arear end position. Here, the same as in the switched position C inaccordance with FIG. 4, the switching lever 29 of the positioningelement 5 is still relieved, therefore the flat module 2 continues to bepassive. In addition, because of the retracted position of the lockingelement 6 in the switched position B, further contact of the slidingedge 7 with the sliding detent 18 is canceled. Therefore the actuatinglever 4 can be moved in the direction of rotation 19, so that the detentprojection 24 can be levered out of the positive connection with theedge 23 of the end element 1, and finally the flat module 2 can belevered out of the component support.

The flat module 2, the front plate 3, as well as the transverse rail 10,are not shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, and they correspond to FIGS. 1 and 2. Tothe extent that the actuating element in accordance with this inventionis not differently described, with identical identifications itsstructure also corresponds to the structure of an actuating element inaccordance with the prior art in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The sequence represented in FIGS. 3 to 5 makes it clear that a relief ofthe switching lever 29 of the position element 25 as shown in FIG. 4 cantake place independently of the unlocking of the actuating lever 4 asshown in FIG. 5. Thus the user can definitely decide upon only anactuation or relief of the switching lever 29 of the positioning element5, or whether the cancellation of the locking of the actuating lever 4is also to be performed in the end.

1. In an actuating element for inserting and removing a flat module (2)by leverage, having an end element (1) prepared for connection with aflat module (2), and an actuating lever (4) rotatably seated on the endelement (1) and having a handle element (5), a locking element (6) whichcan be adjusted between at least two switched positions (A, B) and whichin a first switched position (A) maintains the actuating lever (4) in afirst position which corresponds to a levered-in state of the flatmodule (2) and which releases the actuating lever (4) in a secondswitched position (B), the improvement comprising: the actuating elementhaving a positioning element (25) actuated in the first switchedposition (A) of the locking element (6), and the locking element (6)displaceable into a third switched position (C) in which the actuatinglever (4) is maintained in the first position corresponding to alevered-in state of the flat module (2) and in which the positioningelement (25) is relieved.
 2. In the actuating element in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the positioning element (25) is integrated into the endelement (1) of the actuating element.
 3. In the actuating element inaccordance with claim 2, wherein the positioning element (25) has aswitching lever (29).
 4. In the actuating element in accordance withclaim 3, wherein the locking element (6) has a switching slide (26) foractuating the switching lever (29).
 5. In the actuating element inaccordance with claim 4, wherein the locking element (6) has a slidingedge (7).
 6. In the actuating element in accordance with claim 5,wherein the sliding edge (7) contacts a sliding detent (18) of theactuating element.
 7. In the actuating element in accordance with claim6, wherein when the sliding edge (7) contacts the sliding detent (18),and the actuating lever (4) is locked in the levered-in position.
 8. Inthe actuating element in accordance with claim 7, wherein there is nocontact between the sliding edge (7) and the sliding detent (18) whenthe locking element (6) is in the switched position (B).
 9. In theactuating element in accordance with claim 8, wherein in a thirdswitched position (c) of the locking element (6) the relief of theswitching lever (29) of the positioning element (25) occurs with acontinued locking of the actuating lever (4) in a first positioncorresponding to the levered-in state of the flat module (2).
 10. In theactuating element in accordance with claim 9, having a front system forthe flat module (2) which is attached to one end of the front plate (3).11. In the actuating element according to claim 10, wherein the flatmodule (2) has the front system.
 12. In the actuating element accordingto claim 10, wherein the flat module (2) with the front system isinserted and removed by leverage.
 13. In the actuating element inaccordance with claim 5, wherein there is no contact between the slidingedge (7) and the sliding detent (18) when the locking element (6) is inthe switched position (B).
 14. In the actuating element in accordancewith claim 5, wherein in a third switched position (C) of the lockingelement (6) the relief of the switching lever (29) of the positioningelement (25) occurs with a continued locking of the actuating lever (4)in a first position corresponding to the levered-in state of the flatmodule (2).
 15. In the actuating element in accordance with claim 1,wherein the positioning element (25) has a switching lever (29).
 16. Inthe actuating element in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lockingelement (6) has sliding edge (7).